Milk-bottle cap



June 3,1930. I M, B, TAYLOR 1,761,597

MILK BOTTLE GAP Filed June 18. 1928 Patented June 3, 1930 UNITED STATES MINNIE B. TAYLOR, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA MILK-BOTTLE CA? Application filed June 18, 1928. Serial Nb. 286,479. 7

My invention relates to milk bottle caps of a type adapted to be applied to a partially empty bottle after the removal of the usual paper cap.

I am aware that caps or stoppers of this character have been suggested in the past, many different designs being attempted, but as far as I am aware there is not one of the rior art stoppers of this character which has Been satisfactory. 7

Accordingly the principal object of my invention is the production of an improved stopper of this type.

Another object is the provision of such a stopper which is inexpensive to manufacture, extremely convenient to use and in all respects sanitary.

The details of my invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description taken with the accompany drawings wherein Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the top of a milk bottle showing my stopper applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a plan View thereof; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view. The stopper is adapted for use on any bottles or containers 10 of the usual type employed as milk bottles, having the usual bead 11 at the top thereof. The stopper itself comprises a disc like body 12 having marginal flange 12 and a marginal or edge opening 13. a

On each side of the opening the flange is continned downwardly to form a pair of extensions 14, these extensions being so shaped as to extend around the bead 11 and engage the same in the manner shown in Fig. 1.

The stopper has a cover 16 of triangular shape secured thereto by a central pin or rivet 17. The cover 16 has a marginal flange 16 along its arcuate edge and extending to two of the corners of the cover, the other corner being located at the rivet 17. With this con struction the cover is adapted to be turned in either direction about the pin 17 to uncover the opening 13 whenever necessary for the purpose of removing the contents of the bottle or the like.

Midway between the extensions 14 and on the opposite side oftlie disc body from the opening 13 is a third gripping member for securing the stopper to the milk bottle top. This member is formed of spring material so that it may be caused to s'napabout the bead 11 in order to hold the stopper in place.

In forming this third gripping member I provide a stripofspringsteel 18 having one end secured to the disc body by the rivet l7 and engaged between the disc body and the cove'r 16. At a point near the edge of the disc-body, a pair of-tabs or projections 19 are struck from the disc body and bent over the spring member 18 so as to secure the same against turning on the pivot pin 17, and at the same time reinforce the structure throughout, This member 18 has a downward extension 18 adapted to fit around the bead llwhen applied in'position, and below the bead engagingsection is an outflared portion" 18. which engages the top of the milk bottle when t-he two extensions '14 have been placed around the bead so that downward pressure of-the stopper causesthe outflared 7 portion 18 to draw the spring pressed member temporarily away'from the bottle topermit the stopper to belowered into position. i Since the stopper is adapted for use in lieu of the usual'paper-milk bottle cap it is advantageous to provide on the stopper itself a prong-by means of which such paper cap may be removed. I provide such a prong A as a part ofthe outfiared portion 18*. This is a very convenient and practical arrangement for thereason that this is the farthest extending portion ofthe stopper and is most convenient to use asa paper cap remover. Moreover the spring steel or hard material of this member will cause the prong A to maintain its sharpness indefinitely, whereas if such a prong were provided as a part of the body 12 or cover 16 it would very quickly be unsuited for use. 5 It is also to be noted that the prong A is at the side of the outflared portion 18 so that the end thereof (as shown in Fig. 4) is still flat and may be engaged with the fingers if necessary in removing the stopper from the bottle.

lVhile I refer to my invention in the speci- 100 fication and claims as a milk bottle stopper it is of course obvious that it may be used for bottles containing other substances beside milk. For this reason I do not restrict my- 5 self except within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters (Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. In a milk bottle stopper of the character described a disk like member flanged about its periphery to partially cover a bead on the milk bottle top and having a pair of-extensions of the peripheral flange adapted to extend entirely around said'bead, said disk like member also being excised at one edge at a point midway between the two extensions so as to form on edge opening at one side of the center of the disc a triangular cover for said opening flanged at its edge, a rivet through the disc and one corner of the cover pivoting said cover thereto, a spring member having one end secured by said rivet and extending below the cover, said spring member extending over the disk and secured thereto byprojections struck from thebody thereof, and said spring member further being shaped to snap around the bead of the bottle to hold the disk in position, and having a prong on its lower end for removal of paper bottle caps.

2. In a milk bottle stopper of the character described a disk like member flanged about its periphery to partially cover a head on the milk bottle top and having apair of extensions of the peripheral flange adapted to extend entirely around said bead, said disk like member also being excised at one edge at a point midway between the two extensions so as to form on edge-opening at one side of the center of the disc a triangular cover for said opening flanged at its edge, a rivet through the disk and one corner of the cover pivoting said cover thereto, a spring member having one end secured .by said rivet and extending 4 below the cover, said spring member extending over the disk in a direction facing away from said opening and secured to the disk by projections struck from the body thereof, and said spring, member further being-shaped to snap around the bead of the bottle to hold the disk in position, and having a prong on its lower end for removal of paper bottle caps, said cover-having an offset therein, to clear said spring member nearthe rivet and at the same time hold the .outer edge of said cover against the disk.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 4thday ofJune, 1928.

' MINNIE B. TAYLOR. 

